


A Strength in his Weak Spot

by orphan_account



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF, X-Ray & Vav (Cartoon)
Genre: BEWARE: CAPITALISM, Kidnapping, Light Torture, M/M, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-19
Updated: 2015-07-19
Packaged: 2018-04-09 22:42:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,961
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4367021
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mogar can handle being kidnapped by a capitalistic, white, arrogant man in a tux. He's Mogar, after all.</p><p>He can handle the torture, and the knowledge of a ransom on his head, and the breath-sucking realization that nobody is coming to save him. He can even handle his captor's one-liners.</p><p>What he can't handle is the idea of his captor finding his weak spot.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Strength in his Weak Spot

**Author's Note:**

> I guess I just can't help but torture Michael
> 
> (HINT HINT TOWARD UPCOMING FIC THAT WILL BE MUCH LONGER THAN THIS ONE AND ALSO HAPPIER AND HEALTHIER)
> 
> SIDE NOTE: this is obvs being typed before the actual airing of the first ep, so most of this is headcanon and speculation and unabashed homoerotic hoping

The gala was stupid and, frankly, Mogar had no fucking clue why he was there. Sure, a man could put on a sharp suit, look in the mirror, and do a few poses, but that never guaranteed a result. Fortunately, it did for Mogar. He looked  _hot_.

He could glance across the room, out the large, wall-length windows, and see the poorly-disguised "heroes" tagging after him. Amateurs trying to do a bear's job.

They thought they were concealed on that roof across the street, ducking in their shadows. Perhaps they were, to a less perceptive eye. Mogar only felt a small growl form in the back of his throat. Easily controlled, but still noticeable.

"You look far too important to be standing there alone."

Mogar turned at the voice. They were the same height, with similar builds, although Mogar had to take the award for brawn. He faced the man with gelled black hair who was giving him a dazzling smile. It did little to woo Mogar, but he mirrored it with appropriate charm nonetheless. The man was holding two champagne glasses.

"Just keeping my eye out for the right person to grace my company with," he said, tilting his head.

The man cocked his head as if to say  _well_. "I guess the fact that I was standing behind you means that you hadn't quite spotted him yet," the man said smoothly. "I'm David Streilate. CEO of Streilate Industries."

Mogar cocked his head. He reached for the champagne that Streilate offered him. "Michael," he replied, a simple enough answer. "Streilate, as in the electronics manufacturers?"

David grinned. "The very same. I'm thrilled you recognize the name." He took a sip of his drink.

Mogar's smile widened, multiplying his charm by at least ten percent. "It's not an easy name to forget. You've built quite a reputation," he flattered, raising his eyebrows and taking a small sip. It absolutely was not an easy name to forget. Not when that was the name of his target.

"That was always the goal," David boasted suavely.

Mogar gave a small laugh, though he was anything but amused. He was actually quite irritated that he couldn't keep an eye on the two idiots that were sure to ruin his mission, given enough time.

"Now," David continued, eyes lightly assessing Mogar's figure, "I don't believe we're familiar. And, trust me, I would remember. It isn't very often that I don't know someone important."

 _Unless that's the way someone likes it_ , Mogar thought. "I'm here on behalf of my father," Mogar lied. It was simple enough. "Perhaps the name Visera rings a bell? An up and coming meat producer."

"Meat, eh?" David asked, eyes trying to hold back some joke. Mogar's eyes tried not to roll out of their sockets. "Well, I'm glad to make your acquaintance, Michael Visera."

Mogar smiled to indulge him, then took another slow drink to pass the silence. He could feel eyes on the back of his head, and prayed that the two Dimwit Wonders could keep their heroic boners in their pants for five more minutes while Mogar bit the bullet and sealed the deal.

"And I..." Mogar took a step closer, "am very glad to have found some company." His step faltered. He landed harder than intended, and his smile fell to a confused frown. David seemed to be expecting this, and caught him.

Mogar's brain put two and two together just as the poison took an undeniable hold of him. He craned his neck to look up at David, veins pulsing as he fought for control of his body. David was still smiling down at him, as charmed as ever. With a simple flick of his arm, he pulled a small dart from the back of Mogar's head, then held it up for subtle examination.

"I told you... it isn't very often that I don't know someone important... Mogar."

The rest was quick, but not painless. Mogar felt himself led out by David, drunkenly trying to warn someone, and felt every stab of rage as David assured passersby that his friend had had too much to drink. After all, he was rich and white and attractive - of course he would get away with it.

"As soon as I... get up to fighting speed... you're dead," Mogar squeezed out. He could feel his blood pumping too thickly in his veins.

Thankfully, Mogar passed out in the back of limo as David told the driver not to stop until they were parked in his private garage. He wasn't sure he could bear much more of the humiliation of being captured.

 

\+ + +

 

When Mogar woke up, he was still in his suit. He opened his eyes, but didn't see anything that made sense to him for a minute. He was on a couch. In a... a living room, of some sort? The ceiling was high, with a chandelier hanging directly overhead. To his right was a coffee table and another sofa. Mogar sat up in alarm, head clanging like a reverberating gong. The room was huge, with an entire kitchen in one corner, a staircase, and several doors. One wall was entirely window. There was an armed guard dressed in black at every possible exit.

"Ah! You're awake!"

The familiar voice sounded genuinely delighted.

Mogar turned once more to see David. He was walking down the staircase, dressed for the day. But, obviously, like a rich person dressed for the day.

"I'm gonna fuckin' kill you," Mogar slurred, but he made his tone as threatening as possible.

"Now, is that such a smart thing to say in a room with five guns pointed at your head?" David asked. "Besides, we're friends here, Michael. There's no need for such hostilities. How do you like your eggs?"

"I usually give that information after a  _very_ different kind of night," Mogar said without thinking.

"Scrambled, then."

"Sunny side up, bitch," Mogar corrected. "Runny yolk." And, well, there was no reason he couldn't get some free eggs before he beat the living shit out of everyone in the room.

David didn't say anything after that, but he busied himself with smacking around pans in the kitchen, so Mogar took the moment to get his head in order.

"And I prefer them  _non_ -drugged, if you're capable of giving a person any kind of food item like that."

"Michael," David tutted, and Mogar flinched at being called his own name by an enemy, "I hardly have such shabby tact. The dart was the only source of poison, not the champagne. You can thank Carriage for that one."

"Carriage?" Mogar questioned.

"The one in front of the windows," David supplied. Mogar looked directly in front of him and saw a motionless guard.

"Oh."

His eggs were placed in front of him a moment later. Three unburst yolks stared back at him, a side of green beans at the base of the ceramic plate. Prick would cook fucking green beans for breakfast.

"So, what's the plan here?" Mogar asked. "You're going to feed me my last meal, then promptly execute me? Because, if so, there's this wonderful invention called Burger King I'd like to inform you of."

"I have no intention of killing you, Michael. Or, do you prefer Mogar? I aspire to make my friends comfortable," David assured him, then blessed one of the guards as they sneezed.

Mogar glared at him. "Michael is fine," he said stiffly.

"Is that your  _real_ name, or another alias?" David asked. Mogar glared harder, fork frozen halfway to his mouth. "It's simply a question."

"Michael. Is. Fine," he repeated, though his tone was much more menacing this time.

"I understand," David said simply. "Well, then, the plan...  _Michael_... is to turn the tables in my favor. I was, as you are hopefully aware of by now, completely knowledgeable of your plan to assassinate me last night. However, I have sent an anonymous note of ransom to the mayor. If he wishes to keep your city safe, he will supply me with thirteen and a half million dollars. In the meantime, you are my guest. Feel free to help yourself to whatever you find in the fridge."

"What about any knives I find in the drawers?"

"Now, now, Michael," David scolded lightly. "If you want to take your chances against a private militia in an unfamiliar environment, I invite you to. I'd prefer it if you didn't. I hold no hard feelings, and bear no wishes for you to die."

"So you're just... holding me... in an incredibly open space?"

"Yes. And you should consider yourself lucky.  _Some_ are not so fortunate," David said, eyebrows raised knowingly. "Eat your eggs, they'll go cold, my friend."

"Don't fucking call me your friend, you fucking-"

"Now, Michael, I know that we are both civilized-"

The end of David's sentence was cut off by the sound of Mogar's plate shattering against the wall - eggs, vegetables, and all. David's face went slack with annoyance for the first time.

"That was my  _favorite_ plate," he said testily. "Please apologize, Michael. It was a gift."

"Fuck you." Mogar spat in his face.

David reached up and wiped the crook of his eye with a finger, disgusted. "You're going to regret not being so civil to me,  _Michael_ ," he said, his tone now dark. "Carriage! Take him down to join his friend!"

Before he could speak, Mogar's shoulder was grabbed from behind. He lashed out, falling on instincts to defend himself. Three of the guards were incapacitated before he was on the ground with on gun at his temple and one aimed down his mouth.

"Don't shoot! Don't shoot him!" David was calling, voice still rough with anger. "He just needs to be taught some manners. Remember the reward, gentlemen. Take him downstairs, I'll call Jerrons for medical."

Mogar was pulled up by the hair, a gun pressed to his back, then retreated as the man stepped out of the range of Mogar's attack. The other stood in front of him, leading the way through a door, down a staircase, through another door, into a hallway, through a door, down a staircase, through a door, into a hallway, and then, at last, through a final door - this one metal.

"Mogar!"

The shout jarred Mogar before he could get his bearings. The floor was wooden, the room covered in intricate wallpaper, a single, small window located above reach on the far wall. The door clanged shut behind him, and a heavy metal latch slid into place like the grating of thick iron. Mogar doubted that even he could break it down.

There was one bed, and on it sat a person. In spandex. And a cape.

"Christ, Vag..."

Mogar rubbed his eyes with his right hand, frustrated beyond all reason.

"It's  _Vav_!" the Brit corrected in annoyance.

"Very low on the list of my priorities," Mogar assured him. He worked himself into a more comfortable position, sitting with his back against the door. "What the hell are you even doing here? Did you see a way out?"

"I woke up in here. Where are we?" the super-idiot asked.

"David Streilate's mansion," Mogar answered. "Or, at least, one of them. Or something similar. Now, answer my question.  _What_ are you doing here? Don't tell me your idiot friend was captured, too."

"X-Ray? Can't say. I think he got away, but I don't know for sure," Vav answered, as though they had all the time in the world to sit and chat. Or course, that was very possible, but Mogar was still too hyped on adrenaline to think very rationally about conserving energy or holding still. "I saw what they did to you and I tried to stop them, but like seven of those beefy guys got the jump on me. They're absolute bloody lunatics, aren't they? One punch on them and they all just go mental..."

Mogar snorted. "Tell me about it."

"Anyway, we don't need to worry. I'm sure X-Ray will be here soon to bust us out," Vav said, with absolutely certainty in his voice. He crossed his arms and nodded emphatically.

"That stupid sidekick of yours?" Mogar asked, only half listening.

"He's not stupid!" Vav defended. "We've saved the city at least one and a half times by now, if you count the time we destroyed it, too, as half! And X-Ray has x-ray vision! That's why he's called X-Ray! What about x-ray vision is dumb?"

"Sure, sure, take all of the superpowers you need," Mogar said dully.

" _You're_ a bloody superhero, you donut!"

"I'm not. I'm a warrior. Totally different. I trained myself. You're just two idiots who happened to get your hands on some cool equipment," Mogar said, rubbing his temples. He had to formulate a plan... Find a way out... Break down an unbreakable metal door...

"You said it's cool! So not dumb! Ha!" Vav exclaimed, pumping a fist victoriously.

"I don't care what I said. Shut your mouth. I need to think," Mogar growled.

"But, Mogar, there's plenty of time to think later. The door's shut and it's not going to open again. Now, we need to get to know each other! Share our strengths so that we can formulate a plan, work together, and break out of here!" Vav persuaded.

"You have no strength. My strength is beating idiots like you up and snapping your bones underneath my feet," Mogar deadpanned.

"Think of it this way," Vav continued, as though Mogar hadn't spoken. "We've only met once before - and you pretty much kicked the crap out of me and X-Ray then. But, that's okay, because we beat those robbers, but still... it hurt... Anyway, that means that we don't know each other very well. So we have to learn about each other. I'll go first: My name is Vav, and my strengths are making plans, being British, and slow mo powers! What about you?"

"Being able to tolerate dumb fucks like you even though you won't  _shut up_ ," Mogar hissed. He pulled his head out of his hands with a groan and took in the room once more. He now saw a urinal installed into the corner away from the bed. There was no light in the room apart from what the window provided. The floor was riddled with scuff marks and, here and there, questionable stains of every color.

"We need to take this seriously, Mogar," Vav said, pounding his fist into his palm emphatically. "If we're gonna have any chance of breaking out of here, we're gonna have to work together."

"Well, then, we're screwed, because if I can't break out, half an ounce of help certainly isn't going to do me much good." Mogar groaned again. "Especially not when that help is you," he added for good measure.

"You are just a testy piece of work, aren't you, Mogar?" Vav asked. He didn't sound bothered in the slightest. "I'll chalk it up to stress from a crazy night."

Mogar kept in his retort about chalking it up to annoying blue superheroes, figuring that if he didn't say anything, Vav couldn't possibly keep up the conversation. And yet, he soon became living proof that conversations could somehow evolve into a one man show.

Hours seemed to pass, with each second making Mogar go crazier.

"X-Ray and me have never been captured before, but I still think we can make it out of-" "-just like the time with the villain who tried to take over the mayor-" "X-Ray has never let me down before, so we can bet that he'll-" "-and then there was my thirteen birthday, when I met Superman! But he didn't quite look right... Anyway, that was the day I knew for sure-" "-it was a while before I got the stains out of my cape, but-"

" _FOR THE LOVE OF FUCKING CHRIST, WILL YOU JUST SHUT YOUR GODDAMN MOUTH_?!" Mogar screamed, throwing his hands out in rage. He stood up and paced as he yelled, "I'M ABOUT FIVE FUCKING SECONDS AWAY FROM KILLING YOU MYSELF IF THEY DON'T GET IN HERE AND DO IT FOR ME!" _  
_

Vav was stunned into silence. His mouth, still puckered mid-word, deepened into an exaggerated frown. He dropped his hands to his side and turned to look out the window. "Sorry that I thought we might have been getting along..." he muttered bitterly.

"No! No, we were not fucking getting along! The sound of you talking is worse than the sound of the bitchiest whine I've ever heard! And you make  _no_ sense! So, here's the fucking plan, Plan Boy - you shut your fucking mouth. I have my peace and quiet. Then, I come up with a plan to break us out of here." Mogar finished, chest heaving, his anger pooled out into the air between them. His shoulders fell into relaxation, and he dropped to the floor once more.

For once, Vav was blissfully silent.

Mogar reigned himself in. Now, the door. It was locked from the outside, and the hallway was probably guarded. No doubt at least one person had heard that outburst. They must have...

Must have...

Mogar looked up.

Vav was still staring out the window, arms crossed tightly. He seemed to be trying very hard to ignore Mogar.

"Really? The cold shoulder?"

Nothing. Mogar internally shook himself. He looked to the door again, muttering, "Suit yourself," and went back to thinking. It, theoretically, might be possible to get the door open, but even then, what could he do? Take down every last guard on his own while Sulks-A-Lot sat and stewed in the corner?

"How wide of a range does your slow mo power cover?" Mogar asked, a half-formed plan about slower enemies taking form in his mind.

Vav stared persistently out the window, appearing for all the world as though he didn't realize another person was in the room.

"Really? The silent treatment? That's all I get from the person who couldn't shut up thirty seconds ago?" Mogar demanded.

"You wanted to make the stupid plan, you jerk bastard," Vav huffed.

"I need to know something  _useful_ about you if you want to help," Mogar said hotly.

"Can't have it both ways, prick." Vav pushed his arms even more tightly together, his jaw locked in defiance.

Mogar sighed heavily. "Listen... Vav... I didn't mean to shut up entirely... Just... keep it to the relevant stuff... alright?"

It seemed as though Vav had turned deaf. And that he was fascinated with clouds. And had a naturally angry disposition. Mogar cocked his head in annoyance. It was his only hope of getting out of there.

"I'm. Sorry," he ground out. Vav didn't look convinced.

"Really thought it would take longer than a minute for you to cave," Vav said grudgingly. He acted as though he hadn't said anything.

"Special circumstances," Mogar said. He hated this, just wanted to get them back on track.

"Well, you could have sounded more sincere," Vav said sullenly. Just as Mogar was about to bite the bullet and spew some heartfelt bullshit, Vav added, "but I'll take it. I know that opening up can be hard for a lot of people, and you're obviously one of those  _tough_ ,  _no-feelings_ kinda guys, so I'm not gonna hold that against you. Let's start over. I'm Vav, let's work together!"

He held out his hand, chipped grin back in place. It amazed Mogar how fast he bounced back. There had to be some kind of trick. Nonetheless, he stuck out his own hand and shook Vav's, solidifying their team.

"Now, I have a few back up plans, and my slow mo radius statistics - I keep them both in my utility belt..." Then, Mogar saw something he couldn't have predicted in a million years, and wasn't comfortable until he had fully repressed it seconds later.

 

\+ + +

 

Surprisingly, there wasn't a lot to do in a small, locked room with an idiot in the corner. Mogar was still in a suit, and it frustrated him, because he felt like his skin couldn't breathe. He had already taken off the jacket and rolled up his sleeves, but wasn't about to venture further into vulnerability with Chatty over there still speeding away at a thousand words a minute.

Mogar occupied himself by doing push ups. As soon as this odd action began, Vav stopped mid-word. It was a blessing.

"What're you doing?" Vav questioned.

"What the hell does it look like? What, they don't have push ups in the motherland?" Mogar retorted. He was breathing heavily, trying to exert some of his anger.

"You don't want to go wasting your strength, do you?"

"There's not a lot else to do, so unless you want me to beat you to death and use you as a blunt weapon to bust out instead..."

Up, down, up, down, hissing breaths like bursts of fury. The dirt of the floor jerked and skidded as Michael breathed in and out, up, down, up, down...

"You know, I don't know why I thought you'd be a lot nicer than this. I just had a funny feeling, but I guess I was wrong. You're full of vinegar," Vav muttered.

Mogar stopped, holding himself in the down position, and turned to look at Vav. "Vinegar?" he asked.

"Yes. Mogar with the vinegar. Vi-mogar."

Michael rolled his eyes. "Maybe you mean  _vigor_. As in, you know, the thing I have that is going to get us out of here," he corrected.

Vav didn't seem to hear him, eyes wide. "How can you  _do_ that?" he demanded in awe. "I can barely do three of those things, and you're just hanging out, having a bloody laugh!"

Michael rolled his eyes and pushed himself back up into a sitting position. "Get over here, I'll show you."

"W-wha-"

"Come on, don't wuss out. You're a superhero," Mogar said, then waved Vav over. Vav looked the epitome of reluctant, but jumped off the bed nonetheless.

"Alright, watch me. Get into position like I am," Mogar instructed. He laid himself down again, feet together, back rigid and straight, hands lined up underneath his shoulders. Vav tried to mimic the position as best he could.

"Now, don't push your arms out when you go down. The real muscle comes when you go straight down like this." Mogar did a single push up, easy, fluid. Vav tried to copy. His face turned slightly red and his breath came in hurried gusts. He gave a shout as he pushed himself back up.

Mogar nodded. "That burn you feel is good. It means you just did it right. Come on, a couple more." Mogar tried to set an example, going much more quickly than Vav. Vav struggled, making incoherent noises of stress and fatigue. He collapsed after his fourth attempt. Mogar was on thirty-eight.

He paused and looked over at the red-faced, panting heap on the floor beside him.

"I don't get it, Mogar, I don't... That's just an insult, how you can carry on like that. It's not fair," Vav huffed.

Mogar gave an honest laugh. "We'll work on it. For now, do me a favor - I'm not getting enough out of this, you wanna sit on my back? Not that I think you'll do much, you must weigh a pound and a half..."

Vav picked himself up and plopped onto Mogar's back, just above the dip in his spine. Mogar felt the immediate shift of having extra weight to carry, and it gave him the kind of familiar burn that he lusted after when he trained.

"Count?" Mogar hissed out, a request that Vav could barely decipher from its suddenness and strain.

"Starting from where?" he asked.

"Eighty-three, eighty-four..." Mogar huffed, until Vav joined along and Mogar dropped out, focusing only only the rise and fall of his arms and the weight on his back. It was a stress relief, a moment away from their predicament, a way to not feel so helpless. The burn in his muscles made him believe that he was strong enough to carry the extra weight.

 

\+ + +

 

"Four-ninety-eight! Four-ninety-nine! Five hundred! Bloody fucking piss, Mogar!" Vav cheered, as Mogar at last stifled his efforts and dropped to the floor. His face was as red as Vav's had been, sweat cradling his neck and forehead. He had reveled in watching it drip from him.

Vav hopped off of his back as Mogar rested, his heart rate pounding. The influx of cold air on his back felt heavenly. Mogar pushed himself up one last time and began to idly pace around the room, trying to catch his breath.

"You've gotta teach me how to do that!" Vav exclaimed, standing just in front of the bed, his eyes following Mogar with glee.

Mogar shook his head and shrugged, panting. "Just start doing them in the morning. When you wake up. Pop down and do a few, add more when it gets too easy," he said. Vav watched him take deep breaths for a moment, then sat back down on the bed.

"I feel like my blood's starting pumping harder and I got a work out just from watching you," Vav gibbered, looking thrilled. Mogar felt the same exhilaration, his eyes light and body feeling free. 

"Shit, don't suppose they're going to give us water any time soon," he muttered. "That sucks, in retrospect."

"Wait just a minute," Vav said, before he once again reached a full hand down his "utility belt". Mogar groaned and looked away, wishing that he didn't have to be stuck with such a  _weird ass_ superhero. "Here we are - courtesy of Miss Hilda."

He handed Mogar a clear plastic water bottle with a black cap. It had the Vav logo printed on the front of it, and was filled to the brim with room temperature water.

"You want me to drink your pelvis water?" Mogar asked.

Vav turned bright red. "I-I-I just - you said you were thirsty, so, um, you don't have to - but - uh, I had it lying around - didn't even remember it until - I - uh..."

"Chill," Mogar told him, then popped the cap up with his teeth and took a swig. For having been in a pair of over-undies for who knew how long, it wasn't bad. Or, maybe Mogar was just desperate.

He stopped after finishing off a quarter of the bottle, then handed it back. "Thanks," he said, before he eyed the urinal suspiciously and belatedly realized that that thing was going to be put to use sooner or later. He vowed to either dehydrate or break out before that happened.

Vav stuttered out something about no problem, face still falling back to a normal color. He didn't put the bottle back in its place, but rather set it down on the floor beside the bed.

Then, the footsteps started.

In the time it took for Mogar to spin around, the door was already opening. David stood there, with an entire patrol of armed guards behind him. "Just so you don't get any funny ideas, my friend," he said pointedly. "If you'll be so kind as to follow me." He gestured out the door.

"I take it I don't have much of a choice?" 

"None whatsoever."

Mogar nodded, glanced back at Vav before he made his way into the throng of weapons, praying for one mistake so he could have an advantage.

"Leave the window slot on the door open so his friend can watch," David ordered behind him. Mogar heard the sliding of metal once more, but stared straight ahead.

"Ahem." David stepped in front of him, sliding his arm to point at the right wall of the hallway. "Stand here."

"Any dirt-patch preference?" Mogar asked, as he made his way to one side and the guards shuffled to the other. There were no doors on his side of the hallway, but there were three on the side he faced. One of them was the cell he shared with Vav, and he saw Vav's head peaking out from behind tiny bars, watching with a horrified expression.

"Take aim," David ordered lazily, standing to the side of his cronies. He was watching Mogar with only slight interest.

Eight guns now pointed themselves straight at Mogar, and Mogar's heart hammered. His thought process was going at a thousand miles per hour, trying to find some escape, some way out, a trap door to slip through-

"Mogar!" Vav yelled.

David raised a hand in order, and the guns dropped. David, examining his fingernails, looked up at Mogar with a blank but serious expression. "Dead," he said simply. "Or, rather you would be. Don't think that I can't end this the moment I see fit. Don't make trouble for me, my friend."

"You bastard-"

"Put him back in his cell."

Three of the guards shoved Mogar very roughly back in the direction he had come.

"I gave you the chance to be my friend, Michael," David called whimsically. "You could have had free roam of the house, a room without an idiot, and, most importantly, my respect. But, you were rude. Let's not forget how far manners take us next time, hmm?"

The door slammed shut, Mogar screaming profanities and vulgar insults, banging on the iron hard enough to leave a dent, but not nearly enough to give him hope for breaking through.

"We're getting out of here, Vav," he growled, seeing in red. Vav looked shaken to the core, but Mogar paid him no mind. He tore across the room and mustered all of his force into a single bound, then crashed into the wall beneath the window.

It crunched and cracked, and pieces of the wall fell apart and knocked onto the floor with heavy clacks. Mogar's entire left side was ringing in pain, but he reared back and prepared himself for another blow.

"Mogar,  _no_!" Vav yelped, throwing out his hands. At once, Mogar felt the instant effects of his sensations dulled. He seemed to be moving ten thousand times slower than normal, the wall taunting him as it came closer and closer so slowly. Mogar wanted to growl, but his throat was so far back in the process as soon as he decided it that he didn't think it was worth it.

At what appeared to be hyperspeed compared to Mogar's current rate, Vav stepped between him and the wall. Mogar's eyes widened and he tried to pull back from his assault. This stupid idiot was obstructing his plan, but Mogar still wasn't going to hurt him. Yet.

The effects ended as quickly as they started, and Mogar jolted before tipping backward and landing sprawled on his ass.

"You dick!" he shouted. "Why did you get in the way?"

"You were about to kill yourself! Can't you use your eyes, dummy?" Vav screeched, still standing between Mogar and the wall.

"The fact that I can is just about the only reason  _you're_ alive," Michael growled, digging his fingers into the wood of the floor. He stood up and Vav moved quickly to the side. Mogar froze as he stared at the wall. "What the hell is  _that_?"

"Cement," Vav said, dully but pointedly. "He cemented the wall long before we were put in here. The only person I know who can get through that is X-Ray, and God only knows where he is. We just have to sit tight and wait for him."

Mogar could only stare at the thick gray slab. He would have splattered himself against that, or at least destroyed a good portion of his bones in the process. Vav had saved him.

"Thanks," he said gruffly.

"Come sit on the bed," Vav said, patting the spot next to him.

Mogar raised his eyebrows. "What."

"Sit, you dope," Vav repeated. And, well, he had just saved Mogar's life. He may have been an idiot, but, for the moment at least, he appeared to be a trustworthy idiot. Mogar sat.

They spent the next twenty minutes with Vav picking splinters out of Mogar's left side, tutting and scolding him as he went. Mogar would occasionally flinch or growl at him, but he never stopped him. Vav's hands were, despite how bumbling their owner was, practiced and gentle, touching Mogar softly and surely as they mended him. He produced a package of bandages from his utility belt and stuck them over the places he deemed necessary. Mogar, surprisingly, didn't resist. It was as much as he had let his guard down with another person since he was a kid.

"I'm not gonna hurt you, you know. That's probably a warrior instinct you've got going on right now. I'm just patching you up. No worries," Vav murmured, spreading the last band-aid.

"This isn't something I usually do with people," Mogar answered. "It's usually me, if I ever bother to doctor the wounds."

Vav tutted. "That's no good for you. You need proper care."

"Haven't got any food in that utilize-whatsit, have you?" Michael asked, changing the subject.

"I'll look," Vav said simply, then started rummaging. "People need people to be close to, you know. It's in our DNA, as humans. When's the last time you were close to someone?"

Mogar didn't answer for a moment. "You helped me with my push ups," he answered uncomfortably, just as Vav pulled out a package of beef jerky. He wordlessly handed in to Mogar.

"Well, not  _counting this_ ," Vav muttered, as if it was obvious. "I meant before that."

Mogar took a bite to delay his answer. When he finished chewing, and couldn't put it off any longer, he just shrugged. Vav looked like he didn't understand.

"What?" he asked. He put a hand on Mogar's forearm, and Mogar pushed him away. Mogar stood up and took several steps across the room, refusing to face Vav. He took a tense bite of jerky.

"When you were in the hallway, Strai- er, Stailre- uh, the, uh, the guy. He called you 'Michael.' Is that your name?" Vav asked. "Besides Mogar, I mean? You don't have to tell me."

Mogar turned to look at him, eyes guarded but calm. "It's my name," he said simply.

Vav said nothing for a minute. Mogar turned away again.

"It's a nice name."

Mogar shrugged and wrapped up the jerky in its package, suddenly not very hungry anymore. He tucked it into his pocket and laid down.

"No, here! Take the bed. I'll sit somewhere else," Vav offered.

Mogar didn't say anything. He got up and walked back across the small room, nestling himself on the mattress. Vav stood, and they essentially swapped places. He sat with his back against the wall, once more looking out the window.

"That's it!" he cried, so loudly that Mogar jumped into a defensive position.

"Sorry, sorry!" he rectified, not sounding it, as he stood up and bounded to the window, gazing up and out. "But I've got it! We wait for a plane to go by, right, and then I'll hit it with my slow mo beams! Someone will notice eventually, and then X-Ray will know right where we are! He'll come and bust us out!"

"He doesn't already know that Streilate has us?" Mogar questioned.

"He does, but he got knocked out before he could follow me follow you! The plane will be our beacon!" Vav cheered.

"That just might work," Mogar muttered. "Of course, then you have to ensure that your buddy in tights can make his way to us and through Streilate's security."

"Please, Micool, he's a parkour master."

Mogar froze again. Vav seemed to realize his mistake as soon as Mogar did.

"Er, sorry," he said weakly. "I'll stick to Mogar. And, don't worry. Your secret identity is safe with me."

Mogar forced himself to put his walls of indifference up again. "Dude. You don't even know my last name. And Michael is a pretty common first name. Plus, you're an idiot. I'm not exactly worried."

Vav's eyes brightened. "I think you  _are_ worried. I think you're worried I'm growing on you."

Mogar actually laughed, genuine and honest. "Riiiight. That's it."

"I mean it. Do you want me to sit on your toes while you do sit ups?" Vav offered, quirking his head to the side and pushing his eyebrows up.

Mogar rolled his eyes. "Sure."

 

\+ + +

 

They had only reached seventy-two by the time Streilate was back, with as many guards as ever. He slid the door open and Mogar jumped to his feet, pushing Vav behind him.

"You'll be coming with me into the cell next door," Streilate said simply. Two guards, no weapons on them, pulled Mogar by the arms out the door. Mogar tried to keep Vav from shouting, but it was no use. Streilate shut the door on the Brit and followed the platoon escorting Mogar next door.

It was an easier door, simple wood, but the inside was much less elegant. The walls were the exposed concrete that Mogar had discovered lurking beneath their luxury hotel room on the other side of the wall, the flooring wood as well. There was a light fixed into the ceiling, just above a metal chair. That was the extent of the room's decoration.

Mogar was shoved roughly inside and immediately bound to the chair by chains stuck in the floor. His arms were held behind the back of the chair, his ankles to the base of the chair legs. He growled as David watched him struggle.

"Why hasn't the mayor answered my ransom note, Mogar?" David asked. His tone was no longer friendly or bored. It was cold and sharp and angry.

"I bet he has to go through the pile he gets every day. Yours must have been at the bottom."

"Amusing," David huffed. He drew closer, pulling a knife from the back pocket of his pants. It looked brand new, shiny, and sharp. Michael laughed.

"What, you think I've never seen one of those before?" he asked. He was actually smiling.

"I'm sure you have," David replied, spinning it between his fingers. "Not  _quite_ like this one, however, I'd wager. It's pure silver, nine inches, custom grip."

"Compensating?" Mogar asked simply. He wasn't afraid in the least.

David lashed out. Mogar felt his skin slice and the corresponding splash of blood spray from his cheek. He gave himself a moment to process the pain, then snapped his head back forward.

"Point made. No dick jokes," Mogar conceded.

"I don't appreciate your insolence," David hissed. He tore open the cloth of Mogar's shirt with the blade of his knife, then ran it longways over Mogar's chest. It didn't cut, but it was cold enough to make him think of shivering. "I'd also like some more information from you. Why is it that you targeted me? Was it a contract? A personal vendetta?" He leaned in close. "Did I fuck mommy?"

Mogar stared at him coolly. Without warning, David reeled back and gave him a sharp punch. It threw Mogar's whole body to the side, the chair the only thing keeping him up.

"Talk!"

"You want talking?" Mogar asked, narrowing his eyes. "Then, you really picked the wrong person from that room."

David bared his teeth at Mogar, eyes venomous. At once, his expression broke into calm realization. That set Mogar on edge more than anything.

"Of course. You're right," David said quietly. "Maybe you can take anything I throw at you. However, I'm willing to bet a substantial amount of my fortune that the witless wonder over there doesn't. While he might not know anything about  _you_... well... maybe pulling his strings will just be a bit more fun anyway."

Mogar spat in his face. "Fuck you."

"Carriage? Leave the door open, but make sure he doesn't get out," David ordered. As he spoke, he turned and sauntered out the door.

"What about these chains said 'escape' to you?" Mogar called after him, rattling them noisily for good measure. He tried to imagine a way to break free, to rescue Vav before this lunatic did anything to hurt him. 

Half of the guards followed David, the ones remaining training their weapons on Mogar. Mogar soured.

It was barely a moment later before Mogar heard the screams.

He didn't know why it made his heart accelerate and his shoulders tense. He was sweating. He thrashed harder against the chains, trying to call on his brute strength to get them out of this. It was all based on an instinct he couldn't comprehend, let alone compartmentalize when his entire body was screaming at him, for the first time in a long time, to  _save._

He had never had any particularly long streaks of nobility - nor short ones. He had always been a man making his own way, trying to forge his own place while he was surrounded by naysayers. Saving the lives of others while he was on a job was rarely something that he considered a priority - so why was he now burning from the inside out, trying to make himself into something more, something to save another?

Vav shrieked again, sending Mogar into a brand new wave of panic.

"Stop it!" he yelled, in a kind of commanding voice he had never known he had. It shredded his throat as it came out, like it was rage in itself, making its properties known as it entered the world.

The screaming didn't stop right away, but it faded. Mogar felt his heart relax faster than he could lean back in his chair.

After a moment, David appeared again. He had a streak of blood soaked into his light blue dress shirt. Mogar had never wanted so badly to snap someone's neck.

"I _reeeeeally_ didn't expect you to cave in less than a minute," David said, pointing the knife toward the wall that currently shielded a bleeding Vav from more trauma. " _So_ , tell me what I want to know," he continued, digging the blade's point just beneath Mogar's jaw bone.

"Fine," Mogar hissed. Coming up with a bullshit excuse would be easy enough. "I heard you were planning a... a business deal... between your corporations and Monarch Labs. After what Monarch did the last time it took a business venture, I figured it was time I make my way into town and take the saving of the people into my own hands."

"Or... claws," David finished for him, running the blade in a U underneath Mogar's chin. He nicked the faintest spot, and Mogar felt beads of blood begin to roll down his neck.

"You do know," Mogar rasped, "that if you don't kill me... and I get out... you will never fucking die a natural death. I will hunt you. And I will skin you. And I will introduce your blood as a trendy new nail polish, you cowardly, arrogant, capitalist  _fuck_."

David smiled indulgently. "I suppose that means you won't be making it out of here, then. After all, if the mayor has neglected to pay your ransom, it must means that he believes the city does not need insurance of safety. Whatever suits him is fine by me. But I will unleash as much hell on him as my capitalist ass can buy."

" _Vaaaaaaaaaaaav_!"

The war cry full of voice cracks came from down the hallway, and the sounds of footsteps pattered in rapid succession as an unknown figure tripped, and managed to knock out two of the guards in the process. Mogar's back straightened. David was distracted, and this could be his only chance. He wasn't stupid enough to waste it staring.

Mustering all of his strength, he pulled his chains apart. They were still connected to the ground, with no telling how securely they were locked.

That is, until a laser of unknown origin split the connection straight down the middle. Mogar used the three feet of chain still attached at his wrists to his advantage. With a fluid movement, he wrapped them around David's neck. Then, he pulled. Hard.

It was easy to maneuver the two of them to the floor, David underneath, Mogar straddling. He pulled his hands to either side, locking David against the floor by the neck.

"No time for shitty one liners, so I'll just say it one last time: fuck you," Mogar hissed. David's face was turning a bright purple, his eyes bugging out. Mogar snarled as his grip tightened impossibly further, and in a second, David slumped, his entire body relaxing.

Well, nobody could say Mogar hadn't given him fair warning.

"Shit - whoa! Okay, uh, well, I guess you got this room covered..."

Mogar looked up, eyesight fading from red to normal. The second half of the Dipshit Duo was leaning through the doorway, looking scared beyond all reason.

"How's Vav?"

X-Ray coughed. He looked deeply uncomfortable. "He'll be okay. Are you...?"

"Mogar!"

For someone whose superhero identity revolved around slow motion, Vav pelted into the room like a bullet. He latched onto Mogar at the biceps, eyes searching.

"Vav?" Mogar asked, eyebrows wrinkling. He tried to scan Vav's face for injury, but Vav wouldn't stop moving around, ducking out of his sight, searching Mogar's body for every sign of damage.

"Wait, are you two, like... friends... now?" X-Ray ventured.

Mogar looked up at him. "You know what they say - people who suffer together, herd together," he joked.

"I don't think that's necessarily-"

"Vav, are you alright?" Mogar asked, pushing X-Ray from his mind. "You sounded like you were in so much pain, fuck, I've never reacted that way before."

"I told you that I was growing on you," Vav said simply. At least he was still now, so Mogar could look around him, though he appeared to be... completely fine.

"He... he didn't hurt you?"

"I..." Vav suddenly looked sheepish, and  _very_ embarrassed. "I don't react so well under pressure..."

Mogar stiffened, staring at him blankly. "You screamed  _that hard_ at _nothing_?" he demanded, although, for once, his tone was not angry. More like astounded at the improbability of it.

"Hey, we got lucky, though! It turns out, he didn't know anything about me. He thought that me and X-Ray were just cosplayers..." Vav muttered. He stretched a hand behind his head and scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.

"You... you two are such bad superheroes that he had no idea who you were?" Mogar repeated, dumbfounded.

"We are the city's  _best_ superheroes, and I will stand by that until the lawsuit saying we can't goes through!" Ray interjected passionately.

"It was pretty easy to get a signal to X-Ray when all of the birds, planes, and clouds in one area were barely moving," Vav pressed on, hurrying to get off topic. Mogar realized that Vav had practically landed in his lap upon his entrance. Oddly enough, he wasn't put off, or even surprised, really. He wasn't exactly picturing them curled up in front of the television a month from now, but even he could feel something there worth chasing.

"You sound... pretty powerful," Mogar muttered, almost in disbelief. After all, he had  _met_ the guy.

"Okay, that was straight out of a porno. I'll wait outside," X-Ray cut in. Mogar heard his retreating footsteps.

"You know, it's not so great for you to stay on your own," Vav said, but Mogar could swear that he was barely listening to himself. He was staring at Mogar's... lips? Shit. It had been a long time since Mogar had done something as normal as kissing. 

"Maybe I'll check in, then," Mogar practically whispered. He leaned in part of the way, and Vav reciprocated immediately. Mogar could practically feel his own heart eyes pounding beneath his lids.

"You'd better."

"I will," Mogar found himself promising. Somehow, he knew he would. "Let's get out of here."

**Author's Note:**

> i didnt proofread it because its 4 am so oh well


End file.
